Stevie Wonder

As one of the best-selling recording artists of all time and a pop music icon, multi-talented Stevie Wonder incorporated funk, blues, R&B and soul into commercially viable music that was punctuate...
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British singer Ed Sheeran is impressed by the size of Beyonce's appetite after recently enjoying a big dinner with the superstar and her husband Jay Z. The Lego House hitmaker was invited to join the pair for a meal after performing with Beyonce at a Stevie Wonder tribute concert last month (Feb15), and he admits he was pleasantly surprised to learn the singer is as big of a food fan as he is.
In an interview on British radio station Capital FM, Sheeran says, "The thing I really liked about it was, we ordered a bunch of fried chicken and ice cream, and it was all gone by the end of it. No one was just ordering to say they were ordering it, and then like, eating a grape kind of thing... She (Beyonce) can eat! And I love that. Because you never know how people stay in shape... she dances a lot and exercises or whatever."
Beyonce recently gave fans an insight into her workout routine by sharing a short video of herself exercising to celebrate the fifth anniversary of U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move fitness campaign.

Stevie Wonder's upcoming Songs In The Key Of Life - An All-Star Grammy Salute TV special will be broadcast with video description, making it accessible to blind and visually impaired audiences. Video description is the insertion of audio narrated descriptions of a television programme's key visual elements into natural pauses in the program's dialogue, which makes video programming more accessible to individuals who, like Wonder, are blind or visually impaired. The star-studded show, featuring musical tributes to Wonder from Beyonce, Annie Lennox, Lady Gaga and Ed Sheeran, among others, will air on TV in America on Monday (16Feb15).

Unlikely duo Beyonce and British singer Ed Sheeran teamed up to cover Stevie Wonder's hits at a Grammy Awards tribute concert on Tuesday (10Feb15). The Halo hitmaker opened the All-Star Grammy Salute show with an energetic rendition of Wonder's hit Fingertips, even performing in the aisles of the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles as she approached the veteran superstar for a hug.
Sheeran then joined her onstage to perform a medley of Master Blaster and Higher Ground, and footage shows Beyonce dancing in a black and gold dress as Sheeran, in jeans, strums his guitar.
Later in the concert, Ne-Yo duetted with Wonder's daughter Aisha on Isn't She Lovely, a song written by the music legend after her birth, and the star-studded line-up also included musical tributes from Lady Gaga, Pharrell Williams and Jennifer Hudson.
LL Cool J and Gladys Knight both gave speeches, and other performances came from OneRepublic's Ryan Tedder, Ariana Grande, Annie Lennox, John Legend and Tony Bennett.
For the finale, Wonder performed Superstitious and You Are the Sunshine of My Life as the celebrities gathered around his piano.
Stevie Wonder: Songs In The Key Of Life - An All-Star Grammy Salute will be televised in the U.S. on 16 February (15).

The 57th Annual Grammy Awards took place last night, and while we don't really remember very many awards being distributed, there were a ton of performances. Some were absolutely incredible, some were snooze-inducing, and others were absolutely terrifying and amazing all at once (see: Pharrell). Below are the 23 performances, ranked from worst to best:
23. Lady Gaga &amp; Tony Bennett - "Cheek to Cheek"
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A song we love. A performance we loathed. Girl was obfuckingnoxious.
22. Usher &amp; Stevie Wonder - "If It's Magic"
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Come on, Usher! Between the number of slow jams we heard tonight, the options of Stevie songs you could have sang, you decided to walk around the stage with just a harp? Thank goodness Stevie came out and played the harmonica to save the day.
21. Ariana Grande - "Just a Little Bit of Your Heart"
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We have no idea what she said. Enunciate, girl.
20. Kanye West - "Only One"
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We feel like we've seen this minimalist sort of mother-oriented performance from West before. We were just expecting him to push the boundaries a little more after such a long Grammy hiatus.
19. Brandy Clark &amp; Dwight Yoakam - "Hold My Hand"
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This song was sweet. It reminded us of old Taylor Swift. It wasn't the most exciting, but it wasn't the worst either.
18. Eric Church - "Give Me Back My Hometown"
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We don't know much about country music, but we were really into the banjo here. Why wasn't there more banjo at this show?
17. Katy Perry - "By the Grace of God"
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We LOVED the message behind this. It was a really clear message, thanks to President Barack Obama and a survivor of domestic abuse. Message aside, the performance itself certainly didn't wow us.
16. AC/DC - "Rock or Bust" &amp; "Highway to Hell"
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We've never been a big AC/DC fan, but they sounded great! We just wonder why this was the opening of the show. And we weren't alone, Jamie Foxx's daughter seemed a bit confused, too.
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15. Jessie J &amp; Tom Jones - "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin"
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This was just lovely. So simple, so nice. And those voices! Jessie J killed it.
14. Juanes - "Juntos"
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In a night of mostly slow songs, the Colombian musician made our hips move before we even knew it. For that, we're so thankful.
13. John Legend &amp; Common - "Glory"
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This Golden Globe-winning, Academy-Award winning, show-closing performance was everything you'd expect from these two megastars. It wasn't the most exciting, but it was beautiful nonetheless.
12. Gwen Stefani &amp; Adam Levine - "My Heart Is Open"
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We'll watch Gwen Stefani and Adam Levine do anything. In fact, we're not even sure they sang a song, but they looked damn good.
11. Beyoncé - "Take My Hand, Precious Lord"
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We were getting sleepy, and a slow gospel song certainly wasn't going to help that, but Beyoncé's voice woke us up and she slaaaayed.
10. Rihanna, Sir Paul McCartney &amp; Kanye West - "FourFiveSeconds"
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We REALLY like this song; don't get us wrong. But Kanye and RiRi jumped around in those suits (with Rihanna's just a little big on her) in front of that white screen that mysteriously just floated to the sky mid-performance for no apparent reason, and we were like, "Milli Vanilli?! What are you doing on stage with Paul McCartney?!"
9. Ed Sheeran, John Mayer, Herbie Hancock, &amp; Questlove - "Thinking Out Loud"
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To quote a friend of ours, "I wish his voice were a scented candle." Yeah. Who would argue with that?
8. Beck &amp; Chris Martin - "Heart is a Drum"
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We weirdly love Beck, and like most humans, we're really big fans of Chris Martin. Obviously this was a good time.
7. ELO &amp; Ed Sheeran - "Evil Woman" &amp; "Mr. Blue Sky"
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Just look at how much Paul McCartney was enjoying this performance (until he realizes the camera is on him). Need we say more?
6. Miranda Lambert - "Little Red Wagon"
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We're not a huge country fan, but this girl brought. it. This was one of the more fun moments.
5. Madonna - "Living For Love"
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She may have exerted herself a bit, but we thoroughly appreciated the burst of energy she gave the show. Probably the most high energy performance of the night, and at times, we were even reminded of the old Madge we all know and love.
4. Sam Smith &amp; Mary J. Blige - "Stay With Me"
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Sometimes, "Grammy Moments" can be a bit forced; that was not the case here. Mary J's voice was perfectly suited for this song, and the ending where they sang to each other was picture perfect.
3. Hozier &amp; Annie Lennox - "Take Me To Church" &amp; "I Put A Spell On You"
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We really like this Hozier song, and we have a pretty healthy obsession with Annie Lennox, but this performance brought things to a whole new level. It stole the show, in terms of the amount of talent presented. And also, Annie Lennox. At one point, she played an imaginary harmonica. Like, it wasn't even there, she just made noises and pretended it was. Bow down.
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2. Pharrell - "Happy"
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We didn't think any performance could get better than this (or any performer could be higher...on this list); this was the weirdest thing we've ever experienced. We couldn't stop laughing. It certainly made us "happy."
1. Sia (feat. Maddie Ziegler &amp; Kristen Wiig) - "Chandelier"
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We're still mesmerized by this song and its video. Adding the incredible Kristen Wiig was the perfect twist to make us love it even more.

Country legend Willie Nelson has pulled out of plans to honour Stevie Wonder at a Grammy Awards tribute show next month (Feb15) as Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande have been added to the line-up. No further details about Nelson's decision to step down have been revealed, with Recording Academy bosses simply stating he is no longer performing.
The news emerges as pop stars Gaga and Grande, Oscar nominee John Legend and country singers the Band Perry have signed on to join the likes of Usher, Ed Sheeran, Janelle Monae and Chris Martin to celebrate Wonder's career in Los Angeles on 10 February (15).
The two-hour show, titled Stevie Wonder: Songs In The Key Of Life - An All-Star Grammy Salute, will be broadcast on U.S. TV on 16 February (15).

Ken Ehrlich, the brains behind the Grammy Awards, is to be honoured with the 2,541st star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Stevie Wonder and John Legend will help induct the TV and music mogul on 28 January (15), just days before Ehrlich presents the 2015 Grammys.
His stare will be placed on North Vine Street in front of the Capitol Records Building.

Soul legend Stevie Wonder is spearheading a new Broadway musical about America's Underground Railroad, which offered escaped slaves the chance for freedom. The Sir Duke hitmaker has signed as executive producer of the project, which will also be turned into a TV mini-series, titled Freedom Run.
NBC Entertainment boss Bob Greenblatt, who is the brains behind the stage and screen project, told a Television Critics Association panel on Friday (16Jan15) that he has asked the Motown legend to create the score.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the eight-hour mini-series will be based on Betty DeRamus' book Forbidden Fruit: Love Stories From the Underground Railroad.
Greenblatt says, "We're increasingly looking for projects that qualify as television events and these harrowing true stories of courageous young men and women who found love, in spite of the heinousness of slavery, certainly does that. Furthermore, the idea of also developing this into a Broadway musical with Stevie Wonder is very exciting as we look to expand the scope of our live stage business. We're thrilled that these producers wanted to bring this important project to us."

British rockers Ed Sheeran and Chris Martin are among the musicians who will be performing Stevie Wonder's hits at a special Grammy Awards tribute concert next month (Feb15). The music veteran will be feted at the event in Los Angeles on 10 February (15), two days after the annual prizegiving, and a host of stars have signed up to salute his career.
Along with Sheeran and Coldplay frontman Martin, there will also be performances by Willie Nelson, Usher and Janelle Monae at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live.
The two-hour show, titled Stevie Wonder: Songs In The Key Of Life - An All-Star Grammy Salute, will be broadcast on U.S. TV on 16 February (15).

Rapper Snoop Dogg's new album, Bush, will feature contributions from Stevie Wonder and Charlie Wilson. Pharrell Williams, who produced the project, says, "Snoop's album is better than mine. You're gonna bug out from the approach and what we did." Bush, which will be Snoop Dogg's 13th studio album, will be released in March (15).

Were you paying attention to the big screen and all the Hollywood happenings in 2014? We thought we'd kick off the New Year with a quick look back over the last 12 months of WENN movie news and pose a few questions to one and all that might just help you recall some magical moments at the cinema, or some hot gossip from the year just gone.
The prize for the winner? Bragging rights and a front row seat to the 2015 Oscars in your own living room! Best of luck!
1. The Fault in Our Stars was based on a book written by which author?
a. John Green
b. John White
c. James Green
d. James Brown
2. What song did not feature on the soundtrack to Guardians of the Galaxy?
a. I'm Not in Love
b. Mama Told Me Not to Come
c. Spirit in the Sky
d. Hooked on a Feeling
3. From which hit animated movie did the catchy tune Everything is Awesome come?
a. Muppets Most Wanted
b. The Lego Movie
c. How to Train Your Dragon 2
d. Mr Peabody and Sherman
4. Game of Thrones star Kit Harington starred in which epic disaster film based on true events?
a. Godzilla
b. 300: Rise of an Empire
c. Hercules
d. Pompeii
5. The son of which longtime Hollywood couple starred alongside Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill in 22 Jump Street?
a. Colin Hanks, son of Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson
b. Oliver Hudson, son of Bill Hudson and Goldie Hawn
c. Jaden Smith, son of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith
d. Wyatt Russell, son of Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn
6. Which of the following was not a cast member in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes?
a. Andy Serkis
b. James Franco
c. Jason Clarke
d. Gary Oldman
7. Get On Up was a biopic based on the life of which legendary musician?
a. James Brown
b. Stevie Wonder
c. George Clinton
d. Smokey Robinson
8. Which Hollywood veteran portrayed the family matriarch in This Is Where I Leave You?
a. Anjelica Huston
b. Jane Fonda
c. Bette Midler
d. Dame Judi Dench
9. Which musical did The Amazing Spider-Man star Emma Stone make her Broadway debut in?
a. Chicago
b. Cabaret
c. Wicked
d. Les Miserables
10. Which one of these celebrities was NOT part of Ellen DeGeneres' famous 'selfie' taken during the 2014 Academy Awards?
a. Channing Tatum
b. Kevin Spacey
c. Matthew McConaughey
d. Jared Leto
11. Which actress celebrated her one-year wedding anniversary to her tennis pro husband on New Year's Eve?
a. Ashley Tisdale
b. Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting
c. Naya Rivera
d. Ginnifer Goodwin
12. Who will play the villain in the next James Bond movie?
a. Quentin Tarantino
b. Mark Strong
c. Christoph Waltz
d. Bryan Cranston
13. Which country do the two actors who played Solomon Northup in 12 Years a Slave and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Selma come from?
a. England
b. France
c. Canada
d. America
14. Who rang in 2014 with Charlize Theron and has since become her boyfriend?
a. Sean Penn
b. Chris Pratt
c. Mark Wahlberg
d. Joaquin Phoenix
15. Name new mum Scarlett Johansson's daughter.
a. Kate
b. Jane
c. Apple
d. Rose
16. Which famous Jessica played Matthew McConaughey's grown-up daughter in Interstellar?
a. Jessica Alba
b. Jessica Biel
c. Jessica Chastain
d. Jessica Lange
17. Which Brit picked up the Best Actor prize at the Cannes Film Festival in May for his portrayal of grumpy artist J.W. Turner?
a. Colin Firth
b. Timothy Spall
c. Ray Winstone
d. Alan Rickman
18. What was the highest grossing movie of 2014?
a. Transformers: Age of Extinction
b. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1
c. Guardians of the Galaxy
d. The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
19. Which awards season favourite was filmed over 12 years?
a. Boyhood
b. Birdman
c. Foxcatcher
d. Selma
20. In what film did Jennifer Lawrence debut her singing voice, scoring a chart hit all around the world?
a. Silver Linings Playbook
b. American Hustle
c. X-Men: Days of Future Past
d. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1
21. What is the bestselling music soundtrack on iTunes this year?
a. Frozen
b. Annie
c. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1
d. Guardians of the Galaxy
22. He ended 2014 a newlywed with a hit movie, called The Theory of Everything. Name the British actor who married fiancee Hannah Bagshawe in England on 15 December.
a. Benedict Cumberbatch
b. Timothy Spall
c. Eddie Redmayne
d. Colin Firth
23. Why did model-turned-actress Milla Jovovich announce she was putting the next film in her Resident Evil franchise on hold in August?
a. Script problems
b. Financial issues
c. Her director husband Paul W.S. Anderson had abandoned the movie
d. She was pregnant
24. In 2014, this actor played Moses and became a new dad. Name him.
a. Joel Edgerton
b. Chris Pratt
c. Christian Bale
d. Mark Wahlberg
25. Another new dad, Chris Hemsworth, was named People magazine's Sexiest Man Alive in 2014, but who's the lucky actress, the mother of his kids, who gets to cuddle up to him every night?
a. Eva Mendes
b. Elsa Pataky
c. Scarlett Johansson
d. Jessica Alba
ANSWERS:
1. a
2. b
3. b
4. d
5. d
6. b
7. a
8. b
9. b
10. c
11. b
12. c
13. a
14. a
15. d
16. c
17. b
18. a
19. a
20. d
21. a
22. c
23. d
24. c
25. b

Title

Earned critical praise for Songs in the Key of Life, widely recognized as one of the greatest albums of all time

Released debut album The Jazz Soul of Little Stevie; did not sing on the album, but played percussion, keyboard, and harmonica

Performed at the "We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration" at the Lincoln Memorial

Breakthrough hit, "Uptight"

Recorded the soundtrack to the Gene Wilder comedy "The Woman in Red," which included his biggest-selling single ever "I Just Called to Say I Love You"; won an Oscar for Best Song

Began touring again with the "A Wonder Summer's Night," his first U.S. tour in over ten years

Was an integral player in Quincy Jones' "We Are The World" and "That's What Friends Are For" by Dionne Warwick & Friends

Inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame

First No. 1 record, "Fingertips II"

Introduced to Motown president Berry Gordy

Earned a Grammy nomination for "All About the Love Again"

Sang in church choir in Michigan

Collaborated with Paul McCartney on the No. 1 duet "Ebony and Ivory"

Recorded the soundtrack to the Spike Lee film "Jungle Fever"

Joined Motown Records at the age of 11 and name was changed to 'Little Stevie Wonder'

Coolio revived his song "Pastime Paradise" in his own brooding rap smash "Gangsta's Paradise," which became the year's biggest hit

Left Motown after years of protracted conflicts

Collaborated with Tony Bennett for the single "For Once in my Life"

Released the album Talking Book, featuring the Grammy Award-winning single "You Are the Sunshine of My Life"

Released first album in 10 years A Time to Love, featuring a tour de force of guest appearances; earned five Grammy nominations

Summary

As one of the best-selling recording artists of all time and a pop music icon, multi-talented Stevie Wonder incorporated funk, blues, R&B and soul into commercially viable music that was punctuated by complex harmonies and socially aware themes. His always positive attitude shined through his music even while tackling heavy issues like poverty, racism and heartache. Hailed as both an genius and innovator, Wonder emerged on the scene at 11 years old as one of Motown Records first successful artists and went on to record a number of chart-topping hits like "Fingertips," "For Once in My Life" and "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours." But in 1972, Wonder wrestled control of his creative works from Motown and embarked on his most fruitful and groundbreaking period. Releasing such huge albums as <i>Talking Book</i> (1972), <i>Innervisions</i> (1973)</i> and <i>Songs in the Key of Life</i> (1976), Wonder produced the finest work of his career with songs like "Superstition," "Higher Ground," "Living for the City" and "Sir Duke." He entered the next decade as a more pop-oriented artist, penning the sentimental "I Just Called to Say I Love You" for "The Woman in Red" (1984) soundtrack and collaborating with Paul McCartney on the sappy "Ebony and Ivory" (1982). Though a true music legend by this time, Wonder's output slowed down, as he released only four studio albums over the next two decades. Having won over 20 Grammy Awards throughout his career, Wonder lived on as one of the greatest pop artists of the latter half of the 20th century well and into the new millennium, even though his best work remained firmly etched in his classic era of the 1970s.

Married Sept. 14, 1970; Divorced March 1972; Remained friends and collaborators until her death from cancer July 2004

Lula Hardway

Mother

Angela McAfee

Companion

Served as Wonder's wardrobe assistant 1986-1990; Began dating c. 2000; Split February 2001; In November 2001, filed $30 million palimony lawsuit against Wonder in which she claimed he infected her with a sexually-transmitted disease; his lawyers dismissed her claims

Karen Millard Morris

Wife

Married 2001; Separated October 2009; Wonder filed for divorce July 26, 2012

Mandla Morris

Son

Born May 13, 2005; mother, Karen Millard Morris

Renee Morris

Sister

Yolanda Simmons

Companion

Long-term relationship, never married, mother of daughter Aisha and son Keita

Aisha Wonder

Daughter

Born 1975; mother, Yolanda Simmons

Kailand Wonder

Son

Born Sept. 2, 2001; mother, Karen Millard Morris

Keita Wonder

Son

Born April 1977; mother, Yolanda Simmons

Mumtaz Wonder

Son

Education

Name

Michigan School for the Blind

University of Southern California

Notes

In 2009, Wonder was named a United Nations Messenger of Peace.

On March 6, 2010, Wonder was awarded the Commander of the Arts and Letters by French Culture Minister Frédéric Mitterrand.